Remember

Chapter Thirty-One

"This was your last chance at redemption and you couldn't even handle a simple task." The blonde haired lady shook her head at the poor nurse. "Find the girl, capture her, and bring her back, how hard could that be? I sent my two strongest with you to help and you couldn't even do as much as get them back safely. So now, not only do I have to find new seconds in command but I have to send more of my soldiers out into that wasteland to fetch the girl you lost." Ms. Khoen was fuming. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Silence hung over the room as Ms.Garner's co workers stared at her, awaiting her answer. She stuttered as she spoke "I-I'm sorry. Subject Colette Degorne was much harder to detain than I initially-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore." Ms. Khoen snapped, waving her hand at the guard stationed at the door to approach the table in the middle of the meeting room. "I have no use for her anymore. Do you what you want with her, throw her in prison, torture her for information - I don't care. She's useless." The guard nodded and started to round the table to where Ms. Garner sat.

She tried to hide the shake in her hands by shoving them in between her legs. It felt like slow motion as the guard approached her to take her to, well, she didn't know what the guard might do with her. But seeing the bloodthirsty look in the guards that she had help find Colette, she could only imagine it wouldn't be anything pleasant.

"W-wait!" Ms.Khoen leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed and raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her. A silent 'go on'. "I have information that could be useful. I'm the only one who knows where Colette is, knows what the people she is with can do. What she can do." She paused, almost expecting her very own governor to dismiss her and figure it all out by herself. Governor Khoen only awaited for her to continue. "I can hand pick the soldiers that would be able to combat their powers the best. I can retrace my steps back to the camp site. You need me."

Ms. Garner took a deep breath as she watched the Governor calculate her decision and decide if she was really worth her time.

Ms. Khoen let out a long and annoyed sigh. "Take her to your men Lahey. Have her explain all the powers she witnessed and assess which men to follow her back to the camp. If you even hint a lick of suspicion coming from her... end her life." The soldier, Lahey, nodded once again and grabbed her gruffly by the arms, hauling her out of the room.

She ripped her arm from his grip and smoothed her shirt back down. "I'm not going to run off, keep your dirty hands off me." Lahey groaned in response but did not make a move to grab her again. She walked with a sense of relief back to the soldiers barracks just outside the government holding facility.

And as that long walk unfolded, Garner deviced her very own plan of action.

***

Colette didn't want to move from her spot on the floor, nestled into Jordy's chest. She didn't want to lose the security that he was providing, knowing that right when she moved she would lose every drop of it. Instead she closed her eyes and focused on the calm beating of his heart and breathed in the scent of dollar store soap and the orange air that seemed to cling to every surface. It didn't smell of rotten food or dead things but rather the scent of musty trees which was probably much better than Colette smelled of.

She hadn't taken a shower since her collapse in the woods. Colette could only imagine she smelled of dirt and terrible, sweaty body odor. It was a miracle Jordy could be this close to her without cringing. The dirt caked under her nails was only evident of that.

Jordy shifted behind her, adjusting his position on the cold hard floor. They had been sitting on the floor together for at least an hour, maybe more. No words were said and no more questions were asked and for once since the darkness had been let out, Colette could not feel it stirring underneath her skin.

"I'm sorry." Colette muttered and she pulled away from his light embrace around her. "I should... I need to shower and you should probably go check in with the others so they know I didn't kill you." She chuckled awkwardly and stood up, walking over to the dresser.

She didn't look back at him as she started opening all the drawers to find a fresh set of clothes she could change into after she took her shower. Finally, with the last drawer she opened, she found a pair of jeans and a plain, brown shirt -- granted it was littered with holes -- folded nicely with a note on top of it.

Thought you might want a fresh set. I may or may not have stole it from my mother. - Prissy
P.S. There's already soap and a towel waiting for you in the bathroom.

Colette let a small small find it's way to her lips as she reread the note and folded it, leaving it on top of the dresser.

She heard a rustle and a soft groan as Jordy stood up. As Colette turned back to face him she noticed him clutching his upper arm. "I did that, didn't I?" She frowned, staring at the place that his hand covered. Jordy glanced at his arm and then back at her.

"No, I uh, I got thrown back by one of those ice blasts and slammed my shoulder into the barrier around the town." He paused, attempting a shrug, wincing in the process. "It's fine, It's nothing major. It'll be back to good in no time." He forced a smile for her benefit and brushed past her to the door. "We'll be in Madie's office whenever you are finished getting cleaned up." She nodded slowly as he exited the room and she was alone with her thoughts once again.

Colette sighed and shook her head, swiping the clothes off the dresser and made her way towards the shower. What happened was in the past now and there was no use dwelling on things that she couldn't change. This only meant she was going to have to fight harder to control herself so it didn't happen again. Maybe Kaden could show her how he controls his power.

As she stepped into the burning hot shower and watched the dirt that caked every inch of her skin swirl down the drain she let the water wash away her thoughts too.